[IMG:L]Meet Dave’s Eddie Murphy may have cornered the market on playing multiple characters (Nutty Professor, Coming to America, Bowfinger, Norbit), but this top 10 list of multi-tasking split-screeners should also get some respect.
10. The Polar Express
The movie may not have scored big at the box office, but the motion-capture animation gives Tom Hanks a chance to play several different characters. From a little boy, to a train conductor, to Santa Claus himself, Hanks delineates them all. Maybe Eddie Murphy should look into this technology.[PAGEBREAK]
9. Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Ah, Peter Sellers–the original master of multi-role playing. In Dr. Strangelove, Sellers plays not only the title character–a mad scientist of sorts–but also the President of the United States and Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, men trying to stop a nuclear war. One of Sellers best. [PAGEBREAK]
8. The One
Jet Li plays the multiple versions of a character who exist across alternate universes. But when one Jet Li crosses the wrong Jet Li, Jet Li has to kick Jet Li‘s ass. OK, so, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but watching the kung-fu master fight himself is quite something.[PAGEBREAK]
7. Adaptation
Nicolas Cage times two–and what a very different two they are. Cage does an excellent job playing real-life screenwriter Charlie Kaufman–in all his neurosis–only to flip the switch to play Charlie’s more gregarious and confident [imaginary] twin brother, Donald. Could the real Kaufman be projecting his desire to be less anxious? Hmmm…[PAGEBREAK]
6. Back to the Future Part II
With all the time traveling involved, Michael J. Fox often appeared on screen with past and future selves. But just for fun, he also played his future son AND daughter. For what it’s worth, Thomas F. Wilson played both Biff and his future son Griff, as well. [PAGEBREAK]
5. Multiplicity
Michael Keaton times, well, let’s just say a lot. In Multiplicity, Keaton plays a guy who just can’t enough done in the day, so he decides to duplicate himself several times over. Problem is, the dupes start taking over his life in ways he never anticipated. I guess Keaton is living out that dream of being four–or 10–people at once, but there’s a price to pay. [PAGEBREAK]
4. The 6th Day
This underrated Arnold Schwarzenegger movie offered Arnold fans the ultimate treat: Arnold and Arnold teaming up to fight the bad guys! Arnold plays a hero who is cloned and then has to team up with his own clone to stop the other evil cloners. The two Arnolds also have a heartfelt moment, and who better to explain the philosophy of human identity than Arnold Schwarzenegger? [PAGEBREAK]
3. The Parent Trap
Both the original and the remake gave actresses Hayley Mills and Lindsay Lohan, respectively, two chances to shine. Perhaps the split-screen special effect improved with the remake, but in either version, the actresses distinguished each character so audiences had no trouble telling them apart. Thank you, Patty Duke! [PAGEBREAK]
2. The Nutty Professor
OK, we would be remiss if we didn’t include at least one Eddie Murphy movie–and The Nutty Professor stands at the top. Murphy‘s remake of the Jerry Lewis’ classic is his tour de force performance, as he portrays the entire Klump family. Fat suits a plenty, each Klump member required hours of prosthetic makeup to make Murphy unrecognizable. He could have hired actors, but he just felt like doing it all himself–and thus created a monster. [PAGEBREAK]
1. Austin Powers Series
Mike Myers began the Austin Powers saga by playing the title character and his nemesis, Dr. Evil. With each sequel, he added another character for himself–Fat Bastard, Goldmember. At least he didn’t try to miniaturize himself to play Mini-Me, or where would Verne Troyer be today?
